The Fifth
by Emerald Griffon
Summary: An illegal fifth pet, and his new siblings, struggle to elude the Chia police and save their owner... Rating will most likely go up


"What are you doing here?" asked Rosemadder, gazing at the young woman who stood at the desk, tapping her nails impatiently. "You already have four pets! If you wish to abandon, go see him." She pointed a hoof at the scowling Techo, DrDeath.

"I'm just looking," the girl, GriffinShadow, better known as Shadow, replied. "If I see some pets that seem sad, I'll offer them some comfort. It's the least I can do..." She looked mournful, and Rosemadder quickly gestured a hoof towards the door.

"Over there."

Smiling, the human skipped through, her four pets following close behind. Pullulus, the shadow Lupe, and his mischevious Quetzal Tek. Jojo, the blue Gnorbu, with her Ditsy and Weebles, respectively named ArtsAndCrafts and Pukkie. Loran, the green Eyrie, who winked at Rosemadder as he passed her. She ignored him. And lastly, Eraidor, the silver Uni, who held his head high and tripped in the doorway as a result. To his credit, he stood right up and stalked on.

* * *

Terre had been abandonded by many owners. He had started life as a simple yellow Quiggle, but through several morphing and transformigation potions, had ended up a Mutant Draik. His owner had thrown him away, however, when he discovered the newer neopet-the Hissi. Soon afterwards, though, he had been adopted by a kind lady, who painted him Fire. However, when he accidentally burned down a large portion of her house, she had, in her fury, thrown him back into the pound. He had sulked there for a long time, until some hyper girl had dragged him out of his cage, screaming something about avatars. He was dragged to the Draik Nest, and after that, she instantly turned him into a pink Kacheek, dragged him to the beach, and practically thrown him into the ocean. After _that_, he'd had some popcorn shoved down his throat. Finally, she threw him back into the pound, where he lay, begging that no one else take him. 

But he was unfortunate. Some odd man had dragged him to the Lab Ray and zapped him into...a Faerie Hissi! He looked magnificent! He had soft, feathered plumes on his forehead, two large, beautiful wings, and soft fur lining his belly. However, the owner had no eye for his beauty, and continued to zap him mercilessly. He went through various changes and continuous stat-falls, until he was once more a Faerie Hissi. But he was so weak, even a baby Jubjub's kick knocked him easily to the ground. In response, his disgruntled master threw him out the door, not even bothering to take him to the pound.

DrDeath scooped him up. Now here he was again, waiting for some terrible thing to happen once more.

* * *

"Tek!" called Pullulus. "Come back!" The lithe Quetzal didn't seem to hear him, however, and continued slithering through the cages. In leaps and bounds, the Lupe followed close behind. Shadow called out, her feet pounding against the floor as she ran after both of them. 

"You two! Come back!"

"Should we help?" asked Loran, staring at Jojo. They were twins-by blood, unlike most pets.

"Nah, I think they'll be okay."

"Mm."

* * *

Terre lifted his head, to find a curious face staring at him. He jumped. Well, more like shot straight upwards, since he had no legs. Looking down, he saw a little Quetzal staring at him. Even as he watched, she was joined by a human girl and a shadow Lupe. Terre ducked his head. 

_Please, don't adopt me, don't adopt me..._

"Why not?" asked the girl, bending down. The Faerie Hissi stiffened, and pressed himself against the wall.

"You're just going to lab me! Or use me for an avatar or something like that!" he sobbed. Tears trickled down his feathered cheeks, staining them rivers of dark green.

"I have four pets already, I cannot adopt another." Shadow extended a tentative hand towards the snake, who did not shrink away, but instead leaned hesitantly against it. Tek, meanwhile, had inserted the tip of her nose into the lock and was working it, when it suddenly swung open. Shadow gaped, then looked at Terre. She suddenly knew what she had to do.

"What's your name?"

* * *

_Later, at Shadow's Neohome_

"What a sad tale!" whispered Loran. "No wonder you were so untrusting!"

Terre nodded. "But you promised you wouldn't do that. I'm yours forever, aren't I?"

"As long as I stay here, in the world of Neopia..." Shadow smiled, stroking his beautiful fur. Eraidor glared at the Hissi.

_He rivals my beauty..._

The handsome silver Uni glanced from his dark gray stripes to the mossy spots speckling the Hissi's back. With a snort, he turned back to grooming himself with the beautiful Golden Moon Comb. Suddenly, a vibration tore the comb from his hoof, tangling his handsome locks. Snorting, he spun around to see who had played this immature prank on him.

"THIS IS THE CHIA POLICE! COME OUT WITH YOUR HANDS UP!"

"They must have realized I smuggled you out of the pound!" cried Shadow. "Now what will we do?"

"Run!" screamed Eraidor. He turned around to run, but Loran and Jojo smashed into him. The three rolled around on the ground in a mass of confusion. Terre flapped his wings and flew into the air, followed by Pullulus, holding his beloved Quetzal tightly to his chest. Untangling themselves, the remaining pets followed after them. Shadow, sitting on her couch, watched them go. They did not turn around. The girl turned towards the door, and watched it buckle inwards.

"They are almost here," she said to herself, and rose.

"Let them come. I shall hold them off, while my pets escape."

The door burst open, and a blast of cold air chilled the Neohome. As the police charged through, they gave hardly a glance to the ice statue that had once been Shadow...


End file.
